Recount changes political balance in Va.
By Dave Andrusko
All my children are adults now, and as a result able to vote. To the best of my knowledge, with very few exceptions, they have participated in every major election since they were each first eligible.
We live in Virginia and I encouraged my kids with special vigor to take part in the democratic process this time around. You need not have been a political scientist or a close follower of elections to recognize that 2017 could be, might be, close to unique.
Only New Jersey and Virginia have elections in odd numbered years. Turnout is always a mystery and political passions were and are running extraordinarily high.
Moreover we knew pro-abortionists were very, very busy in many parts of the Commonwealth. In my own district, for example, the opponent of our pro-life incumbent imported tons of volunteers and raised a lot of money from outside the state. My delegate lost, one of many shockers the night of November 7.
No child, adult or otherwise, wants to hear the mantra, “every vote counts.” How can it? There were almost 29,000 votes cast in our district. And our pro-life delegate lost by almost 1,800 votes.
But one vote really did matter in the 94th District and the reverberations will continue for at least two years. One vote proved to be the margin of victory after a recount: 11,608 for Democrat Shelly Simonds to 11,607 for Republican David Yancey.
As a consequence Republicans lost their one-seat 51-49 advantage in the House of Delegates. Each party now has 50 delegates which will result in a power sharing arrangement.
The importance of that one vote is further magnified because a pro-abortion Democrat won the governor’s race and after the elections Republicans control the Senate by only 21-19.
What about 2018?
Everything changes in scale in 2018. To begin with 34 of the 100 United States senators are up for re-election. Inevitably, over the next few months others will retire.
In addition, the terms of all 435 members of the House of Representatives are up. And 36 out of 50 gubernatorial seats will be contested in the 2018 elections, with the same caveat that other incumbents may choose not to run again.
Pro-life participation will be critically important. We have enjoyed many victories in the states and are beginning to prevail in Washington, D.C. now that there is a pro-lifer in the White House.
Every….vote….counts. If ever we forgot that, the outcome of the race in 94th district of Virginia is a ringing reminder.